The present disclosure relates to image processing apparatuses and image processing methods. In particular, the present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that are capable of reducing the amount of delay in file transmission of content, such as image and audio content.
Hitherto, MXF (Material exchange Format) has been available as a standard for a file format for conversion of material, such as images and audio, into a file for transmission (e.g., see SMPTE 377M: The MXF File Format Specification (the overall master document), SMPTE 378M: OP-1a (the layout options for a minimal simple MXF file), SMPTE 379M: Generic Container (the way that essence is stored in MXF files), and SMPTE 422M: Mapping J2K Codestreams into the MXF Generic Container. Uncompressed video data and audio data or video data and audio data encoded by a coding system, such as a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) coding system, are converted (wrapped) into a file in MXF in conjunction with metadata and the file is transmitted. Such an arrangement enables data transmission between pieces of equipment that are capable of exchanging files that comply with the MXF standard. The arrangement, therefore, can realize data transmission that has a high degree of freedom and that is independent of a coding technology, thus allowing content data to be easily transmitted between more diversified pieces of equipment.
A method that enables encoding and decoding of an image at higher speed has been proposed (e.g., see International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2007/058296 A1) as an image encoding system. For transmission of image data, encoding the image data can further reduce the amount of information. For the encoding, use of the encoding system can reduce the amount of delay in the data transmission. That is, it is possible to further reduce a delay time taken from when image data is obtained until encoding, transmission, decoding of the image data, reproduction of the resulting decoded image, and recording of the decoded image data are performed.
However, in the case of the typical MXF standard, no consideration has been given to a low-delay encoding system as described in International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2007/058296 A1 and it has been difficult to realize lower-delay data transmission.